EC rejects govt's request to publicise summer camps in Delhi govt schools

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission Tuesday turned down the AAP government's request to release advertisements about summer camps in government schools prompting Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to write a letter to the poll body to reconsider its decision.

The EC has pointed out that it has no objection to running summer camps which is part of AAP government's Mission Buniyad Programme, subject to the condition that the appeal to send their wards to the camp has to be made to the parents through schools and not through print, TV or radio advertisements.

Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education Minister, questioned the "basis" on which the request has been rejected. "I feel extremely disappointed that the ECI chose to look at this issue from a very narrow political lens, completely ignoring the interest of lakhs of children largely from marginalised section of society. The success of the camp is contingent upon support of parents which is ensured through regular reach out to them by government using print media, TV and radio," Sisodia said in a letter to the ECI.

He said by exercising your power to stop a simple message to the poor parents asking them to send their children to school during summer vacation, do you really think you are aiding in conducting free and fair elections? "The elections will be over in the next one month but the loss to lakhs of children cannot be compensated if you allow your unjustified decision to stay on," he added.

During a press conference, Sisodia said,"Did the EC even think for a while as to what mode to be adopted by the school to ask the poor parents to come to school in the first place?" The summer camps

in Delhi government's school,

an initiative of the AAP dispensation will be organised

from May 16 to June 9 for classes 3 to 8.